General Chat

No problem about going off topic Sue and Meercat, I just didn't want a Civil Partnership discussion, being turned into a discussion on what God thinks about them :-D

I used to think that too Lolly -D

Amanda I'll get my hat ready :-D :

BTW love new avatar

I was of the same opinion as Lolly I thought partnership was the new PC for marriage like life partner is the PC word for husband :-D

Religion keeps being brought into this question but as I see it that is a side issue.
From time immemorial marriage has been defined as the union of a couple of opposite sex in a place of worship and recorded by the priest/rabbi or whatever which gave the partners legal rights and obligations. From 1837 the union has been notified to the civil registrar.
Civil weddings in a registry office were introduced at the beginning of the last century for those who wished their union to be legally recorded but not in a place of worship.
Civil partnerships were introduced a few years ago to give gay couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples.
Note the term LEGAL in each case.
Redefining civil partnerships as marriages will introduce severe complications in legislation (estimated at well over one thousand) where the terms "marriage"; "husband"; wife"; and so on are included and will have to be re-written and passed back through Parliament.
The present definitions of marriage and civil partnership seem to be perfectly clear and adequate to fulfil their purpose: why try to muddy the waters?

Now I am totally confused :-S

So as I married in a registry office are you saying that I am wedded but not married?

From what I understand Lolly, marriage in a registry office, is marriage as we know/knew it. A Civil Partnership is not a marriage as we know it, but a legal contract of some sort.

So you are married, no getting out of that :-D

I probably haven't explained myself properly, but what's new :-D

Dam :-D

Civil partnerships between heterosexual couples are both accepted and legal in Spain. As far as I know, the couple have the same rights as ones who are married, although what the difference is between them and a registry office wedding I´m not sure.
OH & I had a registry office wedding because the church wouldn´marry us because we were both divorced & I am a non catholic.

On Radio 5 live now , they are discussing the subject "Would gay marriage strengthen the institute of marriage" and someone has just asked the question that I have on this thread.

So I wasn't the only one to wonder as to why heterosexuals, can't have a civil partnership :-D

Its now official BBC online breaking news,,,,, that The Church of England and The Church of Wales will not conduct *marriages* between same sex couples.

And without doubt the RC wont ever.

It will be up to other faiths to do what they wish.

Will we see more converts to other religions in order for same sex couples to fulfill their wish.

2 of my adult children are in a 'civil partnership', the other 3 are married. It is often the norm over here (Holland).It's up to them, I don't mind either way.I makes no difference at all.